Selena Gomez’s New Tattoo Is Pretty Enough To Distract You From The Fact That It’s Cliche

While I’m of the belief that your tattoos don’t need a lengthy backstory to make them worthwhile or legitimate, it’s always cool when people use body modification to send a positive message to themselves and others. I loved hearing about Demi Lovato‘s self-love tattoos a few weeks ago, and now her childhood buddy Selena Gomez is joining her with some new ink.

According to tattoo artist Bang Bang McCurdy (who’s made a permanent mark on celebrities from Rihanna to Cara Delevingne), Selena’s latest tat is an Arabic phrase that translates to “Love yourself first.” McCurdy recently posted a photo of the piece, which runs along the middle of her back, perfectly framed by the sleeve of a muscle tee, to his Instagram. (The photo appears to be getting mostly positive reviews from commenters, although some have accused Selena of continuing her trend of cultural appropriation by using another culture’s language for decoration. I’m on the fence about this one, and I’d be interested to hear the point of view of someone who’s closer to the issue.)

Anyway, it’s really nice to see that Selena is making time to take care of herself and honor her own needs above others, since it’s apparent that she’s been having a rough time lately. I don’t know her, obviously, so I don’t really want to speculate about her personal life, but I can’t imagine that it’s easy to be in the public eye when you’re just trying to grow up and come into your own. Besides, I get exhausted just reading Justin Bieber‘s name in entertainment news headlines, so I can’t imagine it being any easier to play the role of his on-and-off girlfriend. Whatever the situation, I hope she’s getting the love and support she needs, and I hope she’s happy with her new tattoo. It looks beautiful on her!